Harvey Beef wage cuts plan worries union

The Australian Meat Workers Union says it is unhappy with a south-west Western Australian beef processor's plans to significantly cut workers' pay.

The pay cuts are expected to be included in an agreement Harvey Beef plans to put to its workers today.

The company has been struggling to cope with the financial crisis and has been under review since earlier this month.

Graeme Haynes from the union says more than one third of workers could receive a pay cut of up to 20 per cent.

"The normal hours of work are now extended to 5:00am to 9:00pm with an ability to further extend it should the company require people before or after those hours, but without penalty payments," he said.